Phases of Snow
by BlackBirdPie
Summary: Before Katniss & Peeta, there was Effie &  Ezra  Snow. I know, I know, check it out before you want to flog me. T, but probably like a "high" T.
1. The Boy With the Plums

**OKAY, so this is a little different...ha..hahaha. And the first Effie/Snow fic, I do believe.**

** This one came out of left field, but it's not completely AU, okay, I know, calm down, let me explain my (warped) reasoning for this story...  
>In my head, the timeline goes something like it's 70 years ago, roughly around the times of the 5th Hunger Games, and Effie is 10 and Snow, who I've named Ezra, is 15. Without giving too much of the story away, they meet, and it's going to turn into a romance. I know in the books she was young, and he was an old dude, but it didn't seem like a far stretch that the Capitol would have ways to keep Effie young and spry...right? RIGHT?<br>**

**I'm really curious about what people think of this. Any questions and you can PM me, if there are any major mistakes with dates, let me know, I was going off memory. **

**And, of course, all is Suzanne Collins, I don't own none of this.**

**Phases of Snow**

**The Boy With the Plums**

The first time Effie Trinket saw Ezra Snow she was ten and he was fifteen years old.

And she didn't really pay a lot of attention to him, only noticed that he bought the last jar of candied plums; and she had to have that jar, because her mother had asked for them. She had asked for them, and Effie knew if she didn't bring them home then things would be bad that day. Very bad.

Effie didn't really want to go over and talk to him; she hated talking to people, especially ones she didn't know. When her mother had good days she always told Effie that she was "socially reclusive to a point of concern", but Effie took a big breath, and made her way over to the boy.

"Excuse me." She said, knowing how small her voice sounded, and that she was going to have to make it louder if she wanted him to hear her.

"Excuse me!"

He turned around, and she was surprised at the amount of disdain on his face.

She turned her face down a mumbled something incomprehensive.

"Sorry?" He said.

"I said, ."

"One more time."

"That's the last jar of plums and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind letting me have them!" She realized she was nearly shouting, but was so exasperated with the situation at that point she didn't care.

His face changed to one of amusement, cool and detached, but amusement none the less. "Listen, I know you people expect others to pay for you," And that's when Effie heard the snickering, and saw that behind the Boy with the Plums, was a group of his friends. And they were from the east side of the Capitol. "But I am simply not going to do it."

Effie felt indignant. "I don't want you to _pay _for me, I just want the plums!"

He scoffed.

"Here, I'll trade you." She said, and Effie did something she had never done before, never thought she would ever do. She reached to his left, noting his flinching as if she was going to touch him, and neatly grabbed an egg from one of the cartons. Effie proceeded to surprise everyone there by cracking it over his head.

She took advantage of his momentary shock by grabbing the plums out of his hands, and threw change to the worker before anyone could stop her.

"Hope you like your eggs sunny side up!" She called over her shoulder.

"It's too bloody bad they don't have a reaping for _that_ lot." He said, trying to salvage his pride.


	2. The Alleyway Incident

**Here's another chapter, I'll publish another when I hear some feedback... :)**

**The Alleyway Incident**

The next time Ezra and Effie would meet was three years later. And Ezra had just moved from the lower south side projects, to Effie's own, and slightly less dangerous north side.

And he was so annoyed with his parents; because all he wanted to do was blend in on the east side where all of his friends were from. But they were just happy to move to the nicer side of the projects. Right, like it's so much better.

The projects were the only proof in the Capitol of District 13's uprising seven years ago. They were where the Capitol pulled money from to pay for the war. Where the Capitol skimped on the needs of their citizens. And the people who lived there happened to be the ones who stayed neutral during the whole conflict. What a coincidence. Everyone knew that that, and only that, was the reason their neighborhoods didn't have any funding, that they weren't being cleaned up. So what a treat it was for Ezra to live there; for him to pay for his parents' disloyalty to the Capitol.

And the cherry on the cake is he sees that _girl_. The one who completely humiliated him, for no reason, in front of his friends. He had a selective memory. So his consolation for his shitty luck is he's going to get back at her. He will teach her a lesson, to not mess with him again.

The perfect opportunity presents itself not even a week after he moves in. He was sitting in his living room, because he never sits outside, god forbid someone he knows gets lost and drives by and sees him sitting around this dump.

So she turns down the alley, and he follows. He's not going to do anything _criminal_, he's just going to scare her a little. Nothing she hasn't earned.

Only, apparently, someone else had the same idea, because this guys steps out in front of her.

"Effie." He says, and Ezra feels a jolt of disgust go up his spine. Because this guy looks like he is interested in more then just scaring her, and she can't be older then twelve for Christ sakes.

Effie, so that's her name, doesn't say anything, but he can see she's scared. From how her shoulders are tensed to her balled up fists. But really, what does she think she's going to do with them?

"I've been looking for you Effie." They guys says, and smiles revealing blackened and missing teeth. And when he smiled Ezra sees that he's probably around his age, but only in years

Still she doesn't say something.

"You're getting really pretty, Little Effie Trinket." He takes a step closer. And she still just stands there.

Ezra doesn't know what he's doing, but he's stepping out from his safe spot, asking what's going on, trying to look menacing.

The other guy doesn't even look phased, but he does take a step back. And he smiles at both of them.

"I will find you later, Effie." I t rings of promise; a threat.

And Ezra feels relief, because there was no way he could fight this guy, and it wasn't like he had the money to buy him off.

Effie turns around, and he sees recognition cross her features. And he realizes that she's kind of pretty, which is a really sick think to think about a twelve year old. She had a light brown hair color, and an open face. Devoid of make-up; that's what really got him. You're more likely to see someone with elephant tusks, then you are a make-up free face, here in the Capitol.

But he's not going to lie, he was sort of expecting a thank-you; he saved her after she cracked an_ egg _on his head, in _public_.

They say nothing, just stare at each other for a few moments.

"You don't live here." She finally said, surprising him by sounding accusatory.

"I just moved."

"No, you don't live _here_; a place like this."

"Yeah, I do."

She didn't say anything else, just walked by him. Looking back once.

And he thought she might have waved.

And he thought she was probably the strangest person he had ever met.


	3. The Time He Doesn't Let Go

**The Time He Doesn't Let Go**

From there they somehow become kind-of-friends.

Because they were both different; they both felt like they didn't belong in the projects, that their lives would lead to bigger and better things.

And she learns about his life; how one day he is going to get out of this "hellhole" and move to the eastside. How he wants to become a lawyer, and get really rich really quick and then leave.

"I don't want to do anything!" He'd say. "We work hard every day, every day! I just want to make some money and retire, and go sit in some rich house, with servants. Live to good life."

She would suggest politician and he would make a face.

Ezra learned about how Effie's mom suffered from depression, how she had good days and bad days, how Effie had to take care of her. And how her dad left, taking her older brother and sister, but not Effie.

He learned how Effie hated people, she hated to be social, hated chit chat, and if she didn't have anything to say would sit in silence. She hated being insincere and fake. And it was easy to mistake her for being shy. Which she was not.

"I don't care what I do, maybe I can write a book; become a recluse."

"You'll have to have a penname." He mused. "In case your book does really well, and people want to know who you are." She looked doubtful, so he took it one step further. "Oh, please, Miss. Trinket, please sign my book." He waved an invisible one in her face, his own looking so desperate she cracked a smile. "I will die if you do not sign this. I. Will. Die. I just loved the word you used on page 176, paragraph 5 line 7, it was so beautiful. Where did you get your inspiration? I love you!" And by the end of the exchange they were both on the ground laughing, because the whole thing seemed so ridiculous.

"You should be a politician." She said between laughs. "You're great at acting."

And before anyone knew it, it was _that _time of year again; the Hunger Games.

But this year, for Ezra, it was different. Because he realized, that if they didn't

live in the Capitol, then Effie's name would be in the reaping. Then she might have to compete in the Hunger Games. Something twisted in his stomach at that thought.

This was also the first year Effie and Ezra watched the games together. And he

found out Effie hated them. He never loved them himself, but he also didn't resent them

as much as her.

"Look at those twits." She would say of the Capitol escorts sent to the districts.

"They are so condescending. I hate them. Look! Look at that one! She's acting like she cares about the tributes, meanwhile her family is probably sitting comfortably at home, hooting for their deaths!"

Ezra would shake his head and grin, never before had so much injustice spilled out of a thirteen year old.

As all twenty four tributes line up on stage, Tobias Flickerman, the interviewer, behind them waving, Effie deadpanned "Yes, may the odds ever be in your favor!"

And Ezra wanted to put his arm around her, to say it's not all so bad, but he didn't.

In fact, their relationship stayed entirely platonic until she was fifteen, he twenty. He had just enrolled in a community school, trying to build his way up from there.

Which meant that Effie was spending more and more time alone.

And people had taken notice.

So one day, she's waiting for Ezra, sitting on her steps, and then someone's standing in front of her. And she knows it's not Ezra, from size alone. And she knows if she looks up she will see Monty, the guy who tried to corner her in the alley.

"Little Effie Trinket." She still didn't look up, but could hear the smile in his voice. "You've kept me waiting."

She kept her head down.

"You know what your mother promised me? She promised me an hour. And I figure, with all of this delay, I'm collecting interest, you owe me at least a day. Maybe two."

"It was my mother's deal." She said at last in a small voice. "Not mine, why don't you talk the her-"  
>He pulled her face up so she had to look at him, and he smiled. "You know, she offered herself. But I didn't really want a crazy-old-junky bitch. I said it was you, or I was walking. It took her about half a second to decide. So you're mine. Depending on how much I like you, you may get me forever." He put his mouth right next to her ear, ignoring her shudder, his hands on either side of her on the steps. "Wouldn't you like that?"<p>

Which is what Ezra saw when he rounded the corner, some huge guy leaning over Effie. And maybe to others she looked pulled together, but he could see, all the way from where he was, she looked terrified.

He sees her saying something to the guy, and standing up, and walking, then running towards him. She doesn't say anything when she gets to him, only grabs his hand, and without slowing down, pulls him the opposite direction.

She doesn't stop until they've put a few blocks distance between them and Monty, who Ezra recognized when he looked over his shoulder. And the asshole had the nerve to _wave _at him.

"Effie, what the hell happened?" He asked finally, after she had slowed down. "What was that?"

"Nothing." She said, trying to catch her breath. "It was nothing-"

"It wasn't nothing."

And she looked up at him, really seeing him for the first time in a while, realizing how tall he was. He didn't have all of the cosmetic "enhancements" that others in the Capitol had, and he was kind of skinny, but his face was sharp and strong. His had a pointed jaw line, and straight nose, thin lips. And somehow it all fit together, and she realized he was handsome. With his pale skin, and so-blonde-it's-white hair. And this whole discovery shocked her. He had always just looked like Ezra before.

Before she could stop herself, the whole story was rolling out of her mouth. About what her mother had promised to Monty, and how he was going to follow through with it, and what he had promised her…

And somehow she's crying, and Ezra finally puts his arm around her, after wanting to for so long. She's leaning on him, her tears soaking his shirt, and he doesn't care.

"It'll be okay, Ef."

She laughs, but there's no humor in the sound.

"Please, it'll be okay." And he doesn't know who he's talking to, himself, her, some higher power. Because he doesn't know how to fix this yet, but he knows she has to be okay.

She finally looks up at him, and he realizes he's now holding her to him, they don't say anything, just stare at each other.

Then somehow they are kissing, she's been crying so it's wet, but it's hot and feels so so good. Because they've both wanted to do this for so so long, but it's like they didn't even realize it until now.

Ezra realizes she tastes like roses, and how he's never noticed her rose lip balm before.

And she's surprised at the strength which he's holding her, like he won't let go.

Like he doesn't want to.


	4. The Time With No Winners

**Just a heads up, it's going to be a while before I can do another update, this is as far as I have the story written, and I'm busybusybusy right now, so I don't gots a lot of time to write. :( SO, it might not be a bad idea to add this story to alerts...so you don't have to keep checking back for an update. Huh? Pretty sneaky, I know.**

**The Time With No Winners**

After that their relationship changes, but nothing else does. It feels like it's evolved, and it's easy. To think of him as her boyfriend. It seems natural.

Every year they watch the Hunger Games together; and Effie's "may the odds ever be with you" has become their sort of tradition. Every time that it comes on now, all Ezra can think is that could be Effie. It's really just luck it isn't.

So she gives him a hard time that he always roots for the girl tributes, because he hasn't told her the reason why.

Last year's was especially bad for the tributes, the Capitol seemed to want to make a point, with it being the tenth and all. The dome was a desert. And every hour they would cut the oxygen for a minute. The contestants had no way to breath. Sometimes, however, the minutes would be back to back, and seven died from that round alone. To make the competition more enjoyable, they put an oxygen machine in the cornucopia.

The entire block cheered when the handsome fifteen year old, from District 6 got to it first. Except it turned out that there wasn't oxygen in it, but Fire Gas, which was of course Capitol engineered, and got it's name because it burned your body from the inside out, in addition to causing bleeding from eyes, ears, and nose. A particularly gruesome way to die.

But what might have been harder then watching Elijah burn/bleed to death was his teammate, Yvette, who they agreed would get the machine the second part of the minute, and her realization of what was happening to him. They had been the first district tributes to act like friends instead of competitors.

"The Capitol undoubtedly 'teaching them a lesson'." Effie spat, and Ezra couldn't disagree with her.

Yvette ended up winning. But didn't make it to the usual victor rounds. They said it was because of "scheduling conflicts", whispers of mental insanity were the popular theory, though.

The next Hunger Games, Effie doesn't watch. She reads a book the whole time.

When it's over Ezra asks if she wants to know who won.

"Nobody won, Ez. In the Hunger Games, winner is an oxymoron."


End file.
